IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHAPED REFRACTORY OBJECTS

Abstract: A liquid binder for refractory application contains magnesium and aluminium orthophosphates in molar ratios to form a spinel when set and fired.

Description: Improvements in the Manufacture of Shaped Refractory- Objects DESCRIPTION This invention relates to the manufacture of shaped refractory objects and is a development of the invention set out in my EPA 0,501,662. In accordance with this earlier European Application a slurry of basic refractory grains and a polyphosphate are set into a green shape, minerals being included in the dry mix which, when the slurry is set, and is being fired develop strengthening spinel linkages. These linkages are developed at a temperature below that at which the phosphate bonds tend to lose their strength. Preferred procedures in accordance with the EPA 0,501,662 use a complex polyammonium phosphate either in liquid or initially solid form in an aqueous system with an appropriate refractory aggregate containing the spinel forming minerals, usually active alumina and magnesia. These polyammonium complexes are substantially neutral in aqueous systems and this was perceived to be a requirement to avoid rapid and uncontrolled reaction with the basic refractory which would arise with acid reagents. In accordance with the present invention a liquid binder containing the spinel forming minerals, being a mixture of magnesium orthophosphate and aluminium orthophosphate may be used to set a basic refractory grain, typically alumina, magnesite and spinel or a mixture of these ingredients and for other purposes in the refractory industry. As in our European Patent Application spinel linkages are developed during firing before the phosphate bonds lose their strength. The spinel is more effective formed out of solution than the solid as decribed in earlier EPA 0,501,662. In order to contain the magnesium and aluminium phosphate, the solution has to be acidic. The binding liquid thus may contain an appropriate amount of phosphoric acid. The magnesium orthophosphate .and aluminium orthophos¬ phate solutions are preferably in a molar ratio which results in the development of spinel, so that the residue on firing develops the strong spinel bond. In some circumstances it may be desired to increase the phosphate content and then a dry phosphate additive typically of aluminium tripolyphosphate and dimag- nesium polyphosphate trihydrate is added again in molar ratios to result in a spinel bond. The above ratios need not be precisely molar as a slight richness of the residue either in magnesium or alumina only results in a slightly reduced strength. All that is required is that the spinel is effectively formed. It should be noted that the liquid phosphate mixture is still acid and thus may be reactive to a strongly basic refractory giving the possibility of excessively violent reaction which could be uncontrolled. However, spinels have been developed with a high alumina content with less free magnesia to react and these, being less strongly basic, are suitably employed in the systems of the present invention. An example of such a spinel is that sold by Steetley under the Trade Mark BRITMAG SPINEL 75. The mixed binder in accordance with the invention has wider application than the setting of basic refractories as above. It may be used to set alumina silicates with a hydraulic alumina cement accelerator or more generally as a setting accelerator for alumina based hydraulic cements useful in refractory applications. The invention will now be described by way of example. Example 1 The improved binder in accordance with the present invention is designated from time to time hereinafter as P450 and is an aqueous solution of magnesium orthophosphate, aluminium orthophosphate and orthophosphoric acid. The solution has a pH value at 1% of 2.3. The molar ratio of the aluminium and magnesium phosphates results in a magnesium oxide/aluminium oxide residue on firing in the spinel ratio. P450 is chemically and physically stable and has a target analysis:- % MgO 1.7 % A1 2 0 3 4.3 % P 2 0 5 28.6 equivalent to 9.3% Mg (H 2 P0 4 ) 2 , 26.8% A1(H 2 P0 4 ) 2 and 6.2% free H 3 P0 4 - A refractory mixture for use with P450 is as follows:- Spinel 67 Steetley 1/8 - 16 BSS 55 parts x wgt. Spinel 67 " 16 x 30 10 parts x wgt. Spinel 67 " 30 x 52 7.5 parts x wgt. Spinel 67 " -200 mesh 20 parts x wgt. *Spinel 75* -200 mesh 10 parts x wgt Accelerator Powder typically active -200 mesh magnesia up to 6% The second column above and hereinafter is grain size. The liquid is added to the refractory mix at 65 cc per kg with between 10 to 22 cc of a water and soap solution. In order to speed setting time the proportion of 200 mesh spinel, i.e. the active spinel, may be increased or alternatively accelerator powder added to a maximum 6% by weight. Typical setting times are between 10 minutes and 1 hour. It appears that a mixture of the two acid phosphates act as a buffer to the reaction rate. That is to say that when mixed together the setting time is increased - i.e. the reaction rate decreases - to a slower time than either of the components individually. As previously stated each phosphate individually would have been regarded as excessively acidic to achieve a controlled setting time. For example the mixture used above gives typically a setting time at 18°C of 12 minutes. An aluminium ortho phospate on its own gives a setting time under the same conditions of some 5-6 minutes and magnesium orthophosphate of some 7-8 minutes, both times being regarded as uncontrolled. Because of this unexpected result the mixed phosphate may be used in mixtures of refractory grain of a substantially higher basicity. It has been further found that the mixed phosphate of the invention is no more reactive and much less sensitive to additions of reactive magnesia than the binders described in my EPA No. 0,501,662. The mixed binder P450 may be used as a binder in an alumina silicate refractory system using hydraulically settable aluminious cement as the accelerator. This system is rendered basic by the cement. Thus: Example 2 Bauxite crushed and graded -3+1 55% by wt 2 3 Bauxite of approx. 70 Al 0 -1 20% 20 S10 2 -200 20% Alumina MA95 5% Calcium Aluminate cement (SECAR) 70 3% is mixed with P450 (60-70 ccs per kilo of mix). A controlled set occurs in 12 minutes at 15°C. With the spinel or semi spinel system described in Example 1 the SECAR or similar cement can replace either magnesia or spinel or both. Indeed by adding P450 the hydraulic cements will set more rapidly. Thus considering a system containing calcium/alumina water and P450 there would be two reactions:- 1. Reaction of calcium aluminate cement to increase the pH and cause the P450 to set in 12 minutes. 2. Water in the binder causing the cement to set hydraulically in about 2 hours or more. This is a means of causing a hydraulically castable system to set quickly without detriment to the ultimate properties of the castable. This hydraulically set system would have the previously described spinel derived strength during firing. It should be mentioned that cement castables may have setting times accelerated also by the phosphates of Al. or Mg. used separately. Thus in general terms the mixed orthophosphate binder (P450) by way of example) may be used in self-setting refractory systems using hydraulic cement (refractory type calcium/alumina based) as the principal refractory material. As shown above the mixed binder has its own setting effect and when the set refractory is fired the strengthening spinel bonds are formed. The mixed binder does not deleteriously affect the hydraulic setting. Looked at in another way the invention provides the use of the mixed aluminium/magnesium phosphate binder as a setting accelerator for hydraulic calcium/alumina cement. No effective accelerator for alumina-based cements as used for the production of refractories has previously been provided.

Claims: CLAIMS ; 1. A method of manufacturing refractory objects which comprises the steps of causing a fluid slurry containing refractory powder to set to a desired shape and firing the shape to form the object characterised by the use in the fluid system of a mixture of magnesium orthophosphate and aluminium phosphate in proportions suitable to form a spinel during the firing process. 2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein the phosphates are in a molar ratio appropriate to the development of the spinel. 3. A method according to either Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the phosphate content is increased by the addition of a dry phosphate additive such as aluminium tripolyphosphate and di-magnesiumpolyuphos- phate trihydrate. 4. A method according to any of the preceding claims wherein the magnesium orthophosphate and aluminium orthophosphate are used to set a basic refractory aggregate typically alumina magnesia or spinel based. 5. A method according to any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the refractory material is a hydraulically settable calcium/alumina cement. 6. A method according to Claim 5 wherein the mixed orthophospate is used to accelerate the hydraulic setting reaction.

Inventors: SHAW RICHARD DUDLEY, SHAW, RICHARD, DUDLEY
Applicants: SHAW RICHARD DUDLEY, SHAW, RICHARD, DUDLEY
Application year: 1994
Main classification: C04B35
IPC codes: C04B28, C04B35